Washing machine



April 24, G O, THAXTON 2,374,247

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April 24, 1945. G. o. THAxToN WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 12, v1.942 6Sheets-Sheet 6 www...

reem 0. mfom By QM W Patented Apr. 24, 1945 WASHING MACHINE Green 0.Thaxton, Washington, D. C., assigner of one-fourth to Dottie Carroll,Washington,

Application November 12, 1942, Serial No. 465,338

4 Claims. (Cl. 68-143) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in washing machines, and more particularly to a washingmachine for washing various kinds of fabrics simultaneously, butindependent of each other.

An important object of the invention lis to provide a multiplecompartment laundry machine wherein the compartments rotate in unison,but are supplied with steam and water in accordance with therequirements of the kinds of fabrics to be washed therein.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a laundrymachine equipped with means for completely taking care of fumes or odorsemanating from the washing operations.

Still another important object of the inven. tion is to provide amultiple compartment washer wherein the washing drum has a substantially360 degree movement alternately in opposite directions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a laundry machinewherein steam, water and solution may be fed in the exact amountsdesired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention Referring to the drawingswherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen in Figure 4that numeral 5 generally refers to a. novel drum structure. 'I'hisparticular drum structure is shown divided into four compartments, butmore or less compartments may be adopted, if desired.

It can be seen that this drum is constructed of a plurality of circularwalls 6, 1, 8, 9 and Ill which engage against the flange pins ofcylindrlcal shells II to dene washing compartments A, B, C and D.Clothes contacting ribs I2 are provided on the inner sides of the shellsII.

To the inner sides of the end walls 6, I and to opposite sides of thewalls 1, 8 and 9 are secured anged plates I3 and these are overlapped byperforated cylindrical drums I4, these drums preferably being insemi-cylindrical sections E, F, as shown in Figure 15, and secured byscrews I to the iianges of the flange plates I3. 'The outer side of eachperforated drum I4 is provided with longitudinally extending ribs I6.The space between the drums I4 and the cylindrical shells II defines thewashing spaces for garments.

Secured to the outer sides of the end walls 6,

I0 are boxes I1, I8 from which extend hollow will become apparent to thereader of the follow ling description. v

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of -the apparatus.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure2.

Figure 4 ls a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line 4--4of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 'I is a section online 1--1 of Figure/2.

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a section on line 9-9 of Figure 2.

shafts I9, 20, respectively, the shaft I9 being disposed through abearing assembly 2i located on a standard 22, while the shaft 20 isdisposed through a bearing assembly 23 located upon a 3 standard 24.

Figure 10 is a section on line Ill-I0 of Fig- I ure 2.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the water, steam andsolution inlets.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary side elevationalview showing the control forthe solution.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the draintank.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary elevationalview. Figure 15 is a sectionalview taken substantially on line I 5-I5 of Figure 4.

Figure 16 is a sectional view taken substantially on line IS--IS ofFigure 1 showing the oscillating means for the laundry machine shaft.

The hollow shaft I9 has an internal collar 25 against which abuts theflanged end 26 of a tube 21, the adjacent end of the shaft I9 beingthreaded to accommodate a packing gland shell 28 in rwhich are suitablepacking elements 29.

of the valve 35 can be obtained in order that the exact amount ofsolution desired from a tank 40 can be run into the machine. f As seenin Figure 1l, the pipe 33 extends up a T 4I, and in communication withthis T is a steam pipe 42 and hot and cold water pipes 43, 44,

respectively. The pipes 42, 43 and 44 have valves 45, 48 and 41 therein,and the solution tank 4Il has a gauge glass 48.

Numeral 43 denotes a pipe line for solution to the tank 40, and this hasa valve 50 therein. while the pipe 42 has a connection 5| to the top ofthe solution tank 40 having a valve 52 therein. Obviously, the purposein having the connection 5I from the steam pipe 42 to the top of thetank 40 5 'B. These jets are set substantially in a tangential positionso as to exert a. whirl on the clothes contained in the correspondingcompartments.

From the box I8 extend three pipe lines 55 in substantially the samemanner as the pipe lines 53, and a fourth pipe line 56 which has twojets 51 thereon for the compartment D. The other pipe lines 55 each hastwo jets 61 for the compartment D, and has an extension pipe 58 incommunication with the chamber C with a valve 59 in advance of each sothat this extension 58 may be cut oif when steam is being supplied tothe compartment D. In other words, the compartment C may be utilized forwashing silks and other very delicate fabrics which of course would notstand the effects of steam.

'I'he pipe line 56 and one of the pipe lines 53 are connected to acommon drain pipe 60, there of course being. valves 6|, 62 and 68 whichcan be open to permit draining of the compartments to this drain pipe60. Further, there is a connection 62 from the compartment C to thedrain pipe 84 having avalve 65 therein which when open permits drainingof the compartment C to the drain pipe 80, and from thence to a tank 66.

A pipe 61 extendsv from the receiving tank 68 to a drain pipe tank 68which has a drain 69 to the usual sewer system as well as acomplementary drain pipe 10 having a. goose neck 1I at its upper end soas to maintain. the water level in the tank 68 in a. position so thatfumes will have to pass up a fume vent 12 instead of passing to thesewer system. This tank 68 has a closure 13. Figure 14 shows that thelowerportion of the fume stack `12 is preferably forked, as at 14, atits lower end so as to take in considerable area for accumulating fumesin the tank 68.

Extending from the box I 1 through the various walls of the drum 5 andlongitudinally through the drums I4 is a pipe 16 which terminates in thebox I8. In other words, this pipe 16 supplies steam or water to the boxI8 from where it is distributed through the pipes 55 and 56 to thevarious inlets and jets.

From the compartments A, B, and D extend tubes 11, 18 and 19 to passthrough the distributing box I8 and terminate in the hollow shaft 20,these pipes 11, 18 and 19 being perforated so as to take in steam fromthe compartments. The steam is allowed to escape to the fume stack 12,as suggested in Figure 1.

As shown in .Figure 4. the hollow shaft 20 has a flanged end 80. Theflanged end 80 abuts the adjacent end of a pipe section 8| over which isthreaded a backing flange shell 82 containing a packing element 83.

As is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 8, each drum shell II has anopening 84 therein to permit the insertion and removal of clothes, andthis opening 84 has aclosure 85. Each closure 85 has a ange 86 whichenters the opening 84 to seal the same and'a screw 81 is driven througha bridge bar 88 against the closure 85 to hold the same in sealedposition.

Figures 1 and 16 disclose means for rotating the drum 5 in oppositedirections through approximately 360 degrees. The drum is driven `by thehollow shaft 20 through oscillating means generally referred to bynumeral 90. This means comprisesa frame 9| into which extends a driveshaft 92 having a pinion 93 meshing with a gear 94. This gear 94 drivesa disk 95 to which the lower end of a pitman 96 is eccentrically con-lnected. The upper end of the pitman 98 connects to one end of ahalf-gear 91 which in turn meshes with a ring gear 98 secured to thehollow shaft 20.

The upper end of the frame 9| has a laterally disposed portion 99 forkedto receive a trunnioned barrel |00 through which a rod IOI is slidablydisposed.4 This barrel is connected, as at |02, to the remaining end ofthe gear 91.

Between the barrel |00 and a nut |03 adjustably disposed on a threadedportion |04 of the rod IOI is a compression spring I 05.

Obviously, as the shaft 92 rotates, the halfgear 91 will be rocked backand forth on its fulcrum I 08, causing the ring gear 98 and the shaft 20to rotate in opposite directions through approximately 360 degrees. Whenpower is cut off from the shaft 20, the purpose of the spring |05 andthe rod I 0I is to return the shaft 20 automatically to a position sothat the closures 85 are in an accessible position.

With the closures 85 removed, water is supplied to the variouscompartments from the distributing boxes I1, I8 to the extent desired.

After placing in the clothes, the closures are sealed, and then solutioncan be run from the tank 40 into the compartments A, B and D with steam,if desired, and the amount of solution can be controlled by the valve 35(see Fig. ll).

While the foregoing specication sets forth the invention in specicterms, it is to be understood that numerous changes vin the shape, sizeand materials may be resorted to without departing froml the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A washing machine comprising a rotary drum divided into a pluralityof compartments, a steam supply, a steam box at each end of the drum,distributing tubes from the box to certain of the compartments, saidsteam supply extending to one box, and a communicating line from one boxto the other.

2. A washing machine comprising a rotary drum divided into a pluralityof compartments, a steam supply, a steam box at each end ofthe drum,distributing tubes from the box to certairi of the compartments, saidsteam supply extending to one box, and a communicating line from one boxto the other, one of the compartments being provided with a waterconnection from one of the boxes, and valvular means for cutting oil'said water connection when steam is supplied to the other compartments.

3. In a washing machine, a rotatable clothesreceiving drum having atubular supporting shaft at one end, pipes carried by and communicatingwith said tubular shaft and extending across the periphery o1' the drumoutside the latter, said pipes having discharge jets opening through theperiphery of the drum tangentially of the latter, and a fluid-supplypipe connected to said tubular shaft.

4. In a .washing machine, a rotatable clothesreceiving drum having atubular supporting shaft at one end, pipes carried by and communicatingwith said tubular shaft and extending across the periphery of the drumoutside the latter, -said pipes having discharge jets opening throughthe periphery of the drum tangentially of the latter.

and a mnd-supply pipe connected to said tubular shaft, a supply tank forwashing fluid, said supply pipe extending from said tank and having acontrol valve, and a steam supply pipe lcommunicating with said uidsupply pipe and pro vided with a control valve.

GREEN O. THAXTON.

